


Hurts Like Hell

by WishaDream



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015), supercorp - Fandom
Genre: Abuse, Abusive Relationships, Almost Kiss, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arachnophobia, Character Development, Comfort/Angst, Complete, Curses, Developing Relationship, Dorks in Love, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, Ex Boyfriend, Ex Lovers, F/F, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friendship/Love, Good witch, Guilt, Happy Ending, Hexed, High School, Horses, Human Kara, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Kissing, Lena is a witch, Love, Love Story, Love at First Sight, Magic, Protective Lena, Revenge, Romance, Short Chapters, Slow Burn, Soul Bond, Soulmates, Spiders, Summer Romance, Supercopr, Teen Angst, Tragedy, True Love, Wicca, Witch - Freeform, Witchcraft, Wooing, alex as protective older sister, bad boyfriend, cute interactions, dance party, hexes, high school romance, i blame the revenge episode of crazy ex girlfriend, i'll put a spell on you, in case you get stressed just thought i'd ssay, interrupted by oblivious sister, kara as oblivious teen, kara is a horse girl, lena as vengeful spirit, nobody dies except those who deserve it, off relationship of witch and horse girl, really had fun writing this, relationship, sleep over, song by madison beer, spells, spider's used as spies, story based off song hurts like hell, taking justice into your own hands, that doesn't turn out like grease, then the story grew into this, this was supposed to be a cute high school au, trigger: mention of rape, trigger: physical abuse, trigger: verbal abuse, warning, what even are tags used for, when a witch falls in love, witch connected to soulmate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 07:22:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 19,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25346905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WishaDream/pseuds/WishaDream
Summary: Kara is just starting at a new school where her summer crush attends. But that's not the most exciting thing as on her first day she meets the school's witch, Lena Luthor. A girl that can brew potions and work magic. With her help, Kara might just get everything she wants. Or at least, everything she needs.
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Comments: 6
Kudos: 104





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Hurts like hell](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/650743) by madison beer. 



> author's note: so I was watching the hurts like hell music video and was totally pairing the witch with the horse girl and then this story grew from there. and since i'm into supercorp I used them for inspo. hope you enjoy the story as much as i enjoyed writing it.  
> I never know when to break the stories into chapters, but since I prefer chapters so I can take breaks when necessary, I have done that for this story.

Chadwick was like many coastal towns, filled with old buildings full of history and families with old money. The oldest money coming from the Chadwick’s themselves.

Trees made up most of the aerial view, broken up by old brick buildings. The trees were just at that point where they were starting to change color, rich oranges and reds, but the predominant color was still green.

A lazy river cut through the trees, heading off towards the rolling hills that made up the western border of the town.

As was the case with most old towns, Chadwick’s claim to fame in history was that it was one of the places Paul Revere had ridden through on his “British are coming” tour.

The historical society liked to reenact the event every year on the anniversary. It drew in a few tourists but was not lucrative enough to be the town’s sole export.

The locals, for the most part, ignored the historical event as they were caught up in their modern problems. Too concerned with themselves to worry about things from the past.

The town’s modern claim to fame was the local school’s lacrosse team. They were nationally ranked and several players had gone off to Ivy League colleges and then on to have prosperous careers in finance or politics.

If you were from Chadwick you pretty much had a golden ticket for the rest of your life. But even that was only for the most elite of elites.

Chadwick High was where these upper crusts were educated, although a few of the lower class managed to attend, but they spent most of their time just trying to get by before drifting away into obscurity. Some more than others. 

______

The sky was blue above the red brick building that was Chadwick High. Though the building was old it had been equipped with several modern amenities the parents had insisted on over the years.

“History must be preserved, but not at the expense of our children’s education.”

Like the rest of the town the building was kept clean, but had a problem with cobwebs which appeared in various corners of the school and in the letters of the school’s name where bird’s nests usually lived.

Below the school letters students filed inside, walking in their various social groups as they made their way down the halls.

A group of girls was laughing as they passed a row of lockers.

“They say when a witch falls in love she shares everything with her soul mate. Joy. Sorrow. Pain.”

The other girls laughed as one asked, “Where did you hear that?”

Near them a girl was pulling her binder out of her locker, the door of which was covered in horse photos. The locker girl was dressed in a thick sea foam green sweater with tan khaki pants. Her hair was tied in a French braid which she put over her shoulder as she adjusted her hold on her books. Turning, she played with her thick rimmed glasses as she cast a lonely look after the group of girls.

Turning away she closed the door of her locker before heading down the hallway.

Ahead a group of guys were boisterously carrying on as they tossed a ball amongst themselves, using lacrosse sticks to throw and catch the ball.

“Go long, Jared,” called out one to a teen with a thicker upper body than the rest.

Jared moved backwards down the hall, slamming into the girl with the horse binder. She dropped the book, letting out a quick apology as the guy gave her a disgusted lip curl.

Ducking down, she started to shove the papers that had fallen out back inside. The guy didn’t move to help her instead he picked up the ball as he headed back to his friends.

“What happened?”

The teen motioned back at the girl with a throw away comment about it being her fault. The other guys laughed as one with dark hair and tired eyes looked back at the girl. His eyes immediately went wide as if he were seeing a ghost. The girl looked up then, also looking surprised as she stared at the teen. Her mouth started to open as a sound started to form in her throat before fading off as he turned and headed back down the hall.

The girl remained knelt, papers gripped in her hand so that they crinkled. She looked upset as she pushed up her glasses to wipe away the tears from her eyes.

As she sat there a pair of girls walked past. One had chestnut brown hair and a pleated skirt. The other had short blonde hair and heavy eye makeup. They were speaking in hushed tones as the blond asked her friend, “Are you sure she can help with this?”

“She helped me when I had that monster zit. It was completely gone after I put on that stuff she gave me.”

“This isn’t as simple as some zit, this is—this is,” the girl leaned in to her friend as she whispered, “this is about erasing my,” she stopped to glance around the hallway to make sure no one was listening “my memories.”

Her friend touched her arm pityingly, “Trust me, she can help with this.”

The two girls headed down the school hallways, heading against the crowd as the students made their way to their various classrooms.

As the halls grew emptier the girls reached a bathroom down a dimly lit hallway. The blonde grabbed onto her friend as the lights above flickered hauntingly. Cobwebs hung in the corners of the hall, along the tops of the lockers and along the edges of a water fountain.

In the bathroom there were even more cobwebs. The lights in there didn’t flicker but cast a blue light that made everything look like it was glowing with an otherworldly light.

“You know what--I’ve changed my mind.”

The brunette grabbed the blonde, pulling her back into the room as she pushed her towards the large stall at the back of the room.

“She’s not as scary as she seems.”

She kept pushing her friend as they came to the handicap stall. Its door was off, the inside walls had been written on in glowing marker with various signs and symbols that looked ancient and magical. Shelves had been set up inside. Old books were stacked on them along with various vials filled with objects ranging from floating eyeballs to various glowing liquids. There were even small animal skulls, feathers, beads and clumps of grass.

Another girl was sitting on a bench in the center of the stall. A cauldron was set up in front of her with steam rising from the bubbling contents. In the light cast by the glowing liquid her cheekbones stood out, her pale skin looking even paler in the blue light. Her long dark hair floated around her with the wind coming off the concoction as her crimson red lips moved in a silent chant.

As the two girls stepped into view the dark haired girl’s eyes opened, two glowing sea foam green orbs.

“What can I help you with today?” though her appearance spoke of dark nights and even darker enchantments, her tone was gentle as she gave the blonde a welcoming smile.

“Hi, Lena,” went the brunette with a shy smile, “Thanks again for that willow bark.”

The dark haired teen returned her smile as she nodded her head in acceptance of the thanks. Her eyes turned to the blonde who flinched at the attention.

Seeing her friend was too shy, the brunette told Lena, “This is Valerie. She’d like a Forget-Me-Now potion.”

“I don’t want to forget everything,” stated Valerie quickly, “I just want to forget the times that Jake isn’t my Jake.”

Lena nodded as she rose. She picked up one of the glowing vials, turning it for a moment to watch as the liquid sloshed within.

“This one has set long enough,” she held it out to the blonde who hesitated for a moment before taking it, “All you need to do is think about the specific memories you’d like to forget just before drinking the potion.”

“Then it will erase them?”

Lena nodded. “But,” The blonde paused as Lena fixed her with an intense gaze, “If the amount of things you want to forget outweighs the things you want to remember it might be time to leave him.”

The girl frowned, looking offended as she gave her a look like, “how dare you judge me.” She left the room as her friend hurriedly apologized.

“How much do we owe you?”

Lena smiled, “Forty, for time and resources.”

The brunette quickly put the cash in Lena’s hand before hurrying after her friend. Lena stepped out of her stall to watch them go, a thoughtful expression on her face. From above a spider floated down as it landed on her shoulder.

She didn’t react but simply said, “Keep an eye on that one.”

The spider’s mouth twitched as if in agreement before pulling itself back up its string as it scurried away into the shadows.


	2. Chapter 2

In a classroom decorated with various historical figures, the teacher, a young man in jeans and a tie, leaned on his desk as he casually talked with the students.

The girl with the pony binder sat middle back, her head sunk down slightly as she looked like she would rather be anywhere else. The boy with the dark hair and sleepy eyes was sitting near the front, looking bored as he cast various comments about things the teacher was saying to his nearby friend.

“Does anyone know what Marie Curie is famous for?”

Before anyone could answer the door opened. In walked the dark haired woman. She was dressed like she’d stepped right out of the movie The Craft. Lace choker, black skirt with mid-thigh high socks, knit sleeveless jacket with tank top. A few boys in the class sat straighter, casting knowing looks to one another as many of the girls in the room scowled. Those that didn’t scowl avoided her gaze as she cast them knowing looks.

The teacher cleared his throat, looking annoyed at her late entrance, “Miss Luthor, I appreciate your entrepreneurial spirit with your herbal side business, but you need to remember that your education is just as important, if not more than your little concoctions.”

Lena’s mouth twitched with a frown, “I doubt it. It didn’t help you or you wouldn’t be here teaching us.”

The kids made “ooh” sounds as the teacher frowned and snapped, “Just go take your seat.”

As she moved to the back of the room two girls whispered amongst themselves, “--she has spies everywhere so I’d be careful what you say about her.”

She ignored them, turning her attention instead to the girl with the pony binder. Lena gave her a crooked grin, frowning when the girl didn’t seem to notice her. She turned back, following her furtive glances at the dark haired boy.

Her frown deepened.

Letting out a tired sigh, she took a seat in the desk behind the girl. Resting her elbows on the desk, she leaned forward as she whispered, “You’re new here, right?”

The girl tensed at the words before nodding her head slowly.

“I’m Lena Luthor.”

The girl chewed on the corner of her lip for a moment before quietly replying, “Kara Danvers.”

“Just so you don’t hear the wrong thing I thought I’d personally introduce myself.”

Lena held out a card to her. Kara took it, staring in confusion at the various Wiccan symbols.

“I’m the school’s witch. If you ever need help with anything, anything, don’t hesitate to come see me.”

Kara’s eyes remained fixed on the card.

“I can help if you ever get sore muscles, or a bad zit. I do more than just home remedies. I also make guilt dolls and--.”

Kara held out the card to Lena as she offered it back, “Thanks, but I’m good.”

Lena touched her hand to push it back. As soon as their skin made contact she felt a jolt go through her body. If the blond felt it, it was not as strong for her as she gave Lena a quick smile before turning back to the front.

Lena was still frozen but finally blinked as she came to, her eyes immediately fixing on the blonde as her brow furrowed.

What had that been? She had felt many things while casting spells but never anything like that.

Biting her lip she closed her eyes as the teacher’s voice droned on in the front, helping her reach that state of concentration she needed as her vision split.


	3. Chapter 3

Kara Danvers rested her forehead against her horses’ as she took in a slow deep breath.

Pain clenched her throat as she choked out, “You’ll never forget me, right?”

The horse let out a deep breath. She pulled back, petting its forehead as she smiled softly.

Footsteps sounded behind her as she turned to see a young woman with short brown hair and a commanding presence enter the stables.

She smiled as she called out to the girl, “Alex, you came.”

“Of course I came,” throwing her gaze around the room she asked as she approached, “How do you like this new barn?”

Kara smiled softly as she spread her arms out wide, “It’s the best. It has way more stalls than the last one.”

Alex chuckled softly, “And the horses?”

Kara turned back to the one she had been petting as it stuck out its nose for her to put her hand on, “Krypton seems to be getting along, but I haven’t officially met them all yet.”

Alex moved aside as Kara opened the stall so they could walk Krypton out to the paddock. As Kara stood in the middle of the ring letting Krypton run a circle, Alex sat on the rails to the side.

“Have you found that summer guy yet?”

Kara’s smile tensed before relaxing again, “Not yet.”

“I guess it’s a big school. By the way you went on about him all summer I expected you to have tracked him down already.”

Her sister was looking off so that she didn’t notice how tense her sister looked.

“He’s all you talked about the whole time you were together. And then you cried so hard when you thought you’d never see him again. When you found out we were moving to the same town you practically sang and danced every day.”

Kara’s jaw was tight as she stared at the ground.

“I heard some things about your high school. Have you heard of the witch of Chadwick high?”

“Witch?” Kara frowned as she recalled the dark haired teen.

“Yeah, apparently among the students there is someone who makes love potions and concoctions that help with nail growth.”

“Oh, yeah, maybe. I haven’t really had a chance to talk to any of my classmates yet. I was just getting the hang of things.”

Alex frowned with sympathy, “I know this is hard moving to a new school, but this is going to be good for us.”

She smiled and Kara smiled back, “I know. How are things with college?”

Before Alex could answer, someone called out across the pen, “Watch out!”

A loud “neigh” sounded out as Kara turned just in time to see a horse coming at her. She leapt out of the way, avoiding the charging horse as she hit the ground hard.

Alex leapt off the fence as she ran over, joining the man who had yelled out as they checked on Kara. She let out a pained groan as she sat up, holding her arm.

“Kara,” her sister looked worried as she lightly touched her arm.

Kara gave her sister a pained smile, “I’m okay.” Her grimace said otherwise as she stood.

The man apologized as Alex gave him a withering look. Holding her sister’s shoulder she directed her back to the stables.

“Krypton,” went her sister weakly.

“I’ll get him. Just head inside.”

Kara nodded as she continued to hold her arm as she headed inside. Taking a seat she let out a tired groan as she pulled out her phone. Opening up her photo album she opened up a folder marked, “Summer love.” Her jaw flexed as she scrolled through images of herself and the droopy eyed boy from school. They were posed in various romantic settings, Kara kissing him on the cheek, him with his arm thrown over her shoulder, the two enjoying slices of pizza together. Every image their smiles were so bright. Kara’s eyes glistened with tears as she sniffed and wiped away the liquid.

Hearing a crunch she looked up as Alex walked in leading Krypton behind. Wiping away the last of the tears, Kara put back on a bright smile as she followed her sister’s movement with her eyes.

“When you do find him,” continued Alex, “Be sure to invite him over for dinner. Mom is dying to meet him.”

A strained smile her sister yet again did not notice as she had her back to her as she put Krypton in his stall.

“Of course.”

As her sister started to brush the horse, Kara dropped her head, letting out a sad sigh as she gripped her hands tightly in her lap.


	4. Chapter 4

The school hallways were full of students. Kara made her way through the mass of people, looking to favor her injured arm from the previous day as she winced when someone carelessly ran into her. At her locker she slid her over shirt down to look at the mega bruise on her upper arm.

Pulling her shirt back up she started to put in her combo.. Behind her a group of guys in lacrosse jackets started walking past.

“Hey, Jake, go long.”

The dark haired guy laughed as he started backwards down the hall. Kara turned to watch him as he caught the ball in the lacrosse net, letting out a cheer as he joined his friends as they laughed together.

Her eyes were fixed on him like he was the only one there. In a flash he was standing on a beach, throwing his head back in a laugh as he turned and smiled softly at her.

Kara turned away, her eyes stinging with tears as she squeezed her eyes shut. Turning she rested her head on the cold metal of the locker.

The image of her miserable state looked to be displayed on multiple screens that had a red tint. Across the hall a spider clicked its pincers as it watched her. Through the multiple eyes of the arachnid the blonde wiped at her eyes, doing her best to collect herself as she grabbed her books from her locker. Something fluttered to the ground. Looking down, she bent to pick up the small square of paper. The business card from the witch.

She stared at it for a long moment as the world around her continued to move. Shaking her head, she shoved the card back in the locker before closing the door. 

____

The lunch room noises filled the air as Kara picked up her trey and turned to scope out the room. Her expression was apprehensive, unsure, as she gazed at each of the tables. Her eyes first went to Jake and his table where he sat with his fellow lacrosse players. They were laughing and carrying on, not even noticing anyone else around them.

Another table held a group of teens playing with cards as they called out various words to one another like death touch and equip.

Her mouth scrunched as she continued to survey the room.

“Hey, Kara, isn’t it?” she turned to see a smiling blonde with overly colorful eye makeup, “You’re new right? Why don’t you sit with me and my friends?”

She smiled unsurely, but followed as the girl led her over to a table full of girls.

“I’m Valerie, by the way,” stated the blonde, “And this is Heather,” a girl with chestnut brown hair waved, “Gracie. Laney. And Sarah.”

The girls all waved, smiling brightly. Kara noted they were all wearing letter jackets with various lacrosse players’ names on them. Seeing her notice this, Valerie smiled as she turned so Kara could see the name on her back, “Chadwick.”

Kara’s smile faltered at the name.

“Yeah, we’re all dating lacrosse players. So lame, right?”

Kara couldn’t think for a moment, but finally shook her head.

Valerie laughed. “We know it. But they are all just so perfect.”

“Speak for yourself,” went the girl named Laney with a playful tone, “I just know Kurt is going to kill us both with his reckless driving.”

“Did he take out his dad’s sports car again last night?”

Laney nodded, “If not for that protection charm from the witch I’m sure we would have been in an accident by now. I am just waiting for the day when he’s thoughtlessly speeding through the mountain roads and we run into a deer.”

“That makes Byron’s habit less annoying. He got drunk again on the weekend and was climbing on the house’s roof claiming he was a tight rope walker. We just barely got him down.”

“Why are guys so reckless?” inquired Sara with a tired sigh, “It’s like they don’t know how to think things through.”

“That’s because they are selfish,” Valerie said it so quietly that only Kara heard. She gave the girl a sympathetic frown.

“What about you?” Kara realized all the girls were looking at her as Heather asked, “Do you have a stupid boyfriend back home?”

She kept her eyes from going to the lacrosse team table as she shook her head, “No.”

“No? But you’re so pretty. Isn’t she pretty girls?”

They all nodded, “Your hair is like spun gold.” “You have such pretty eyes, you should totally wear contacts.” “I bet you’d look so hot with your hair down.”

Kara seemed to wilt under the compliments, “Uh, thanks.”

“We should totally find you someone. Isn’t Preston Price available?”

“Ugh, yeah, because he’s so gross.”

“That’s right. What about Victor Range?”

“Ooh, he’s cute. But I hear he makes weird sounds when he eats.”

“How weird?”

The girls continued to talk as Kara’s gaze drifted away. It landed on the dark haired boy, Jake, who was making gestures to his friends that could only be described as rude. He grinned then turned as if sensing her watching him. Instead of looking away his eyes widened as for a moment he looked panicked. His eyes drifted from Kara back to the other girls at the table. Looking back at her he motioned with his eyes for her to join him outside.

Her knees hit the table as she jumped up.

‘Whoa, where’s the fire,” inquired Valerie.

“Uh, sorry, I just, I just remembered something.” Her heart was racing in her chest as she headed out of the lunch room.

Jake was waiting for her. He didn’t say anything as he motioned with his head for her to follow. They walked a ways from the lunchroom before he stopped, turning back to face her. He looked nervous, his hands shoved deep in his pockets.

“What are you doing?” his voice was tense, agitated as his eyes darted back down the hall. Before she could answer he said, “Why are you here? Are you stalking me?”

She quickly shook her head, “No. My mom just got a job here with the--.”

“Why are you talking to my girlfriend? Did you tell her about us?”

“What? No. I didn’t even know you--.”

He stepped forward, the line of his mouth tense as he said, “Stay away from her. We were on a break at the time and I don’t need you messing things up between us now. Just leave us alone.”

Kara felt her eyes sting as she reached out to him, he pulled away.

“I know you think what we had was special, but it was just a summer fling. Stop being so obsessed with me and move on.”

Her breath quivered in her throat as she tried to swallow back the emotions rising in her chest.

Before he could say anything more, before he could hurt her any further she turned and ran. Even when she reached the lunchroom doors she continued running, past them, past the bathrooms, past the lockers, past everything as the lights around her dimmed as if to mimic her mood. She slowed as the spider webs above grew denser.

Though she had never been there before she instinctively knew that this was the witch’s door.

Hesitating for a moment she took in a calming breath before stepping inside.

The lighting was blue as she paused for a moment to listen to the sounds of a bathroom. Dripping water, the slow steady stream of water through the pipes. There was the sound of something bubbling as she moved further into the room, heading to the back where the handicap stall was located.

Lena’s head was down, her eyes closed, as the pot in front of her bubbled steadily. Steam rose up around her face, making her skin glisten with the mist.

Kara looked uncomfortable as her gaze shifted around. Should she get the girl’s attention, interrupting whatever spell she might be casting?

Just when she was about to leave the witch’s eyes opened. For a moment her irises looked to have multiple facets like a kaleidoscope then she blinked and her eyes were back to one single iris. She blinked again, smiling softly when she saw Kara.

“You came.”

Kara pressed her lips together nervously as her eyes drifted to the side, “I didn’t mean to.”

“Everyone in need finds their way here eventually.”

Kara’s eyes came back to her. Lena was rubbing her upper arm, wincing as if she was in pain. Kara’s own arm throbbed but she kept herself from touching it.

“I’m not in need.”

“Aren’t you? I saw the way you were looking at Jake Chadwick. And you wouldn’t be here now if you didn’t need something.”

Kara looked away, holding her hand to her chest as if she was in pain.

“I have a potion that can help you forget the bad memories,” Kara pressed her lips together tightly. Lena set down the potion she had just picked up, her hand moving towards a straw doll, “If that’s not what you want, I have a guilt doll that will--.”

“I don’t need a spell. I just--,” her voice broke as her eyes dropped to the tiled floor. There were cracks in the linoleum along with the grime of all the shoes that had walked across it. Were the janitors too afraid to clean in here? “I just don’t understand why he’s being this way.”

Her eyes watered as she held herself, “He said he loved me. He acted like he cared. Like he—like he loved me. We spent so much time together. I thought we had fun.” She closed her eyes, images, memories of them together filling her mind.

“Have you ever seen the movie, Grease? It was like that. We had a summer romance, thought we’d never see each other again. Then we did and he—he acted like he hated it. Like he regretted ever having met me. He said,” her voice broke, “he said it was just a ‘summer fling.’ I was nothing more than a townie to him. Someone to distract him while he was away from his girlfriend.”

Lena’s expression was impassive as she listened to the break in Kara’s voice. Watching as Kara clutched herself like she might fall apart.

She felt like she was drowning in a sea of emotions. A hand broke through the waves around her, reaching out, touching her arm, pulling her out of the darkness, to the surface as she looked up to find Lena looking at her with concern in her eyes.

“It wasn’t like Grease. Even if I change he doesn’t want me.”

She leaned forward, crying into her hands as Lena touched her other shoulder.

“Why do people do this? Why do they treat each other so horribly?”

Lena shook her head, “I don’t know. But you shouldn’t let their horribleness change you, make you just as horrible as them.”

Kara nodded, “I’ll try. Right now it just hurts.”

Lena nodded as she hugged her, both of them wincing for a moment as she touched Kara’s bruise.

This ended the hug as Lena pulled away, giving her a studying look. Whatever she’d been considering she dismissed as she turned back to her room, picking up a book as she started leafing through.

Kara pushed up her glasses as she wiped at her tears. “He doesn’t love me anymore. I—I don’t think he ever did.”

“You feel betrayed.”

Kara gripped the spot above her heart, the sting from the verbal knife he’d plunged in her chest still throbbing, “Yes.”

“You want revenge.”

She shook her head. “No. I…I just want to forget.”

Again Lena picked up the glowing vial, holding it out to Kara as she said, “Forget-Me-Now. Just think of the memories you wish to forget and then drink.”

Her fingers brushed the vial as she reached out, stopping for a moment as she said, “But it was a whole summer.”

“It’s up to you. Are the memories that precious to you?”

Kara stared at the potion, watching the liquid inside slosh back and forth like the ocean waves her and Jake had watched every night. Every night which had ended with him pressing his lips to hers. Kisses which were followed by the breathy declaration “I love you.”

But if he really loved her would he have told her to leave him alone?

She found herself holding the potion as her eyes drifted back to the witch.

“Have you ever taken this potion to forget something?”

Lena’s jaw was tight as she said, “My whole childhood.”

Kara gasped, pity filling her eyes, “But—that’s half your life.”

The witch’s jaw flexed, “And I have the rest of my life to make more memories. Better memories.” Kara’s eyes dropped to the potion as Lena added, “And so do you. But it’s up to you. You can keep the memories and the pain and grow stronger from them, or you can forget it all and start over.”

Kara stared at the potion, looking transfixed by the swirling liquid inside. Again she recalled those ocean nights, splashing through the waves, laughing along with Jake. Listening to him talk about all the things on his mind.

All the things on his mind.

Had he ever once asked her about herself? She couldn’t recall him ever asking. And why were they always together at night. Whenever she called him in the morning he wouldn’t pick up. When they met up at night he said he’d been too busy with family stuff to answer. But had that really been the case, or was he ashamed to be seen with her?

She had been nothing, but a townie to him. Someone he could use and then lose when he went back home at the end of the season.

Her eyes stung as she removed the cap from the potion, “Goodbye Jake Chadwick and good riddance.”

She threw back her head along with the potion. Lena wore a grim expression as she watched.

Then the world spun as everything about Jake flew out of her mind like black butterflies. Then she passed out.


	5. Chapter 5

“This is Krypton.”

Kara smiled back at Lena. She was standing a safe distance from the stall. The blonde let out a laugh as she saw how nervously the girl was eyeing the horse.

“He won’t hurt you, come on,” she reached out to Lena who looked at her extended hand in confusion. She motioned for her to take her hand as Lena finally did. Pulling Lena closer, she placed her hand on the diamond on Krypton’s forehead. The witch’s body looked tense as she stood there like a frozen statue.

Kara’s laughter increased as she threw back her head. “He’s really okay.”

Lena didn’t look convinced as she pulled her hand back, tucking it into the pocket of her pants. Kara chuckled to herself as she started to brush out the horse. As she did Lena walked back to the opposite wall, leaning against it as three spiders crawled off her, attaching themselves to the stable walls, before climbing off to make their webs in the rafters.

“Why did you move here?”

Kara moved from brushing Krypton’s mane to his shoulders, “My mom got an offer from the Chadwick historical society. They are hoping she can revitalize the various historical sites and increase tourism.”

“And the Chadwick’s are okay with this?”

Kara shrugged.

“What about your dad?”

“It’s just my mom, my sister, and I.” She moved to the horse’s haunches as she let out a slow sigh, “We’re not rich like the other families, but we have enough money to move Krypton here and keep him housed.” She paused as she looked back at Lena. The girl’s face was turned to the side, her eyes closed, “Did you really drink a potion to make yourself forget your whole childhood?”

To her sides she heard the soft breathing of horses along with the sounds of their shifting feet. It was all she could hear as Lena remained silent, eyes closed.

Kara started to wonder if she’d heard her when the girl let out a soft, “No. Not really. That’s just the legend people tell. I never want to forget where I came from to ensure I never become them.”

Her eyes were intense as she looked back at Kara.

The blonde turned away, fixing her eyes on the belly of the horse, “Do you think I was wrong to wipe away my memoires?”

“It’s not for me to say. Each person has their areas of weakness and their areas of strength. Doesn’t make you worse or better than someone else.”

Krypton let out a soft whinny as Kara smiled and scratched his neck, “What are some other potions you make? Could you make someone fall in love with you?”

“I could, but it wouldn’t be genuine,” when Kara looked at her she explained, “It would make them more like a hungry animal than someone who’s in love. They would be driven mad with their desire for you. Putting aside everything else, eating, sleeping, living even, in order to only fill their time with longing for you.”

Kara frowned, “That does sound pretty terrible.” Brush. Brush. “Would you ever make that for someone? If they really wanted it.”

“No. I don’t like to make potions that negate someone’s free will. It’s the equivalent of rape. That’s why I when I give a person a potion that affects their memories or mood, I remind them that this is their choice. They are making a decision that is not just going to affect them but those they are wanting to forget. Or those who will interact with them after their mood is altered.”

A light breeze was blowing at Lena’s hair, causing it to flutter around her like strands of a web. One caught on her lip for a moment before coming lose again, “None of us live in a vacuum. All of us, our choices and actions, affect those around us, whether for good or bad. My main goal in giving out these potions is to help people. To put out good in the world to counterbalance the bad. To help people cope with the bad things in their lives caused by other people’s bad decisions, or even sometimes their own. Sometimes we just have those days when we make decisions that we have trouble living with.”

Kara’s eyes dropped to the floor of the stable.

What decision had she made that she felt the need to erase it?

She let out a pained yelp as Krypton hit his nose against her arm. Giving him a frown she lightly touched her bruised arm as she scolded him, “Krypton.”

Lena was suddenly by her side as she pulled down the sleeve of Kara’s over shirt. Her eyes fixed on the bruise, “Where—when did you get this?”

As she let go of the shirt, Kara pulled her sleeve back up, feeling bashful as she replied, “Yesterday. I almost got hit by a horse and hit the ground instead. Why?”

Lena’s eyebrows scrunched as she looked down at the ground, her eyes shifting back and forth while her lips slightly moved like she was trying to solve a math problem in her head.

Her eyes flashed up, startling Kara, “What—what’s wrong?”

In a hushed tone, Lena mused aloud, “I thought it was only a legend.”

Kara’s mouth turned down in confusion, “What’s going on?”

Lena looked at her again, looking right into her eyes as if she was trying to gaze deep into her soul. Then she blinked and turned away.

“No. Nothing. It’s not important.”

It didn’t look like nothing, but Kara could see Lena didn’t want to talk about it anymore. As Lena walked back to the wall Kara went back to brushing Krypton.

“Did you want to ride--?” she turned, finding Lena to be gone from her spot on the wall. Stepping out of the stall she looked down the halls. Nothing. She was gone.

Her shoulders dropped as she felt a strange sense of disappointment fill her chest.

She hadn’t even said goodbye. 

_____

At home, Alex greeted her as soon as she came through the door, “You have a good visit with Krypton?” Kara smiled as she started to respond but was cut off as Alex continued, “Or am I mistaken and you were out with your summer guy?”

Kara frowned, “Summer guy?”

Alex grinned, “Don’t be coy with me. Did you finally run into him at school?”

She searched her brain, but found nothing to clue her in on what her sister was talking about.

Was this summer guy who she had erased?

“No, I still haven’t seen him.”

Her sister had a disappointed frown, “Oh, well, maybe it’s for the best.”

Maybe it was.

She couldn’t remember.


	6. Chapter 6

The next day at lunch Kara joined Valerie and her group of friends. As she sat down she took a moment to look around the room. There was no dark haired witch, though she did spot a group of Wiccan wannabes at a table next to the lunchroom bathrooms.

“Hey uh, does Lena not have lunch this period or…”

Valerie shook her head, “She works during this time.”

“Oh…” her mouth twitched with that disappointment from the previous day, “Does no one actually use that bathroom for its intended purpose?”

Heather laughed, “No, way. Everyone thought it was haunted, even before the witch started using it as her brewery. The janitor’s won’t even go near it.”

“And the school is okay with her selling potions?”

Valerie shook her head, “They really don’t care. None of the adults take her seriously. There are a few who come to her for stuff, mostly house wives who want something to spice things up in the bedroom, or to forget some mistake they made in their youth, but for the most part she just sells to teenagers.”

“Mostly home remedies,” added Heather, “like when you’ve eaten too much and want to speed up your metabolism.”

“Or something to get rid of an especially bad zit,” added Laney.

“Or something for when your muscles are sore from working out too hard,” stated Sarah, “I get a lot of those from her for Jared since he doesn’t like pills.”

“Is he still refusing to take pills?”

Sara nodded, “He is such a baby. He acts so tough around his friends, but really he’s a huge drama queen. Like, yesterday I had to go out and get him some liquid Tylenol.”

The girls started discussing that as Kara noticed a boy with dark hair and droopy eyes watching her. He did not look happy as he motioned with his eyes for her to follow him.

Kara frowned, “Who’s that?”

She pointed out the boy to Valerie who smiled and waved after the boy. He didn’t look to notice her as he headed out of the lunch room.

‘That’s my boyfriend, Jake Chadwick. His family basically owns half the town.”

Her frown deepened. What could Valerie’s boyfriend want with her? Had he been looking at her when he’d signaled her to follow?

Deciding it was nothing to concern herself with she tuned back into the girls conversations as Sarah inquired, “Do you think this is something worth breaking up with him over?”

____

After lunch, Kara felt a hand grab her arm, pulling her down a hall. She let out a surprised yelp of pain as she looked up into the flashing eyes of Jake Chadwick.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

She was too stunned by the sudden confrontation to know what else to say so simply replied, ‘I was heading back to class.”

“No, not that. I signaled for you to follow me.”

“I wasn’t sure if you actually wanted me or not.”

He let out an annoyed grunt though his gritted teeth, “Why are you doing this? I told you to leave us alone.”

She gave him a blank stare. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“The other day, I told you to stay away from me and Valerie.”

“I’m sorry. You must have me confused with someone else. I’ve never even met you before.”

“What are you--,” his brow dipped deeper in anger, “What are you talking about?”

Slowly, a realization came to her, her discussion with her sister the other day, the Forget-me-now potion from Lena, “Oh wait, did we have a summer romance?”

His frown deepened like he thought she was playing some prank on him.

“I’m sorry, I don’t remember it. I took a Forget-Me-Now potion.”

‘You did what?”

She winced as he slammed his hand against the wall. Letting out an agitated grunt he turned away, marching off.

This was not the guy Alex had described to her. If he was her summer romance perhaps Kara had made the right decision in forgetting him. 


	7. Chapter 7

Kara was almost completely zoned into the book she was reading when something the girls near her were discussing caught her attention.

She tuned in as one said to the other, “I heard she has this one item she gave a girl to use on her ex who cheated on her. It’s said to have driven him insane. Either he jumped off a building, ran into the ocean, or just went off to college and had a mental breakdown.”

Kara frowned, “Those are vastly different outcomes.”

The girls frowned, giving her a look like they didn’t appreciate her joining their conversation, “Yeah, well, the stories around the witch are vastly different depending on who you ask. Some just see her like those hags in old times who sold health potions in the woods. Others see her as a drug dealer and then there are those freaks that insist she is Morgana reborn,” both girls cast their eyes off to a girl dressed in studded jewelry and all black clothing.

“I’d recommend you stay away from all of them, new girl,” stated the second girl, “Both the witch and her followers. They are insane. Always trying to mimic her spells and be mini version of her.”

“Are they friends then?”

The first girl snorted, “As if. The witch keeps to herself, only interacting with people long enough to get them what they want and then out the door they go.”

“Do you think it’s by choice she doesn’t have friends or because people fear her?”

The girls exchanged looks before giving Kara a disgusted reply of, “Both. She doesn’t like anyone and who would want to hang with a freak like her.”

Kara frowned as she recalled seeing these very girls casting withering looks at Lena when she entered their history class.

It was really hard to find out anything about Lena when there were so many wide and varied rumors about her.

Best just to go to the source.

_____

Lena’s eyes were closed again; face basking in the steam coming off the bubbling cauldron. Kara shuffled her feet nervously, again unsure if she should say anything or--.

“You need more help?”

Kara licked her lips nervously before going, “Uh, no, I just—I was just wondering if you wanted to join me and the girls this weekend. We are all going out bowling and--.”

Lena’s eyes opened, cutting off Kara’s words as she was transfixed for a moment by the witch’s eyes.

Lena’s brow arched, “You’ve been asking around about me.”

Kara licked her lips again, ‘What?”

“Is that the reason you are inviting me to this, because you heard I didn’t have any friends?”

She bit her lip, dropping her eyes to the floor, “Partly. But also--,” she looked at Lena, “I wanted to get to know you better.”

The witch looked confused like she couldn’t even fathom the reason anyone would want to do that, “Why?”

“I don’t know, I’ve just…” Kara pulled at her thumb, “you’re not like anyone I’ve ever met and I just—I guess I just wanted to know what makes you tick.”

Lena folded her arms giving her a look like, why is that so important to you.

“I just have a curious personality. Always have. My mom called me her little reporter because I was always asking questions. Searching for answers. Why does time fly instead of roll, since that’s what the clock hands look like when they are going around the clock face? Why does the sun rise in the east and set in the west?” she smiled at the memory of her time as a child, “Why are trees green and the sky blue?”

Her eyes went back to Lena who was studying her closely, like a spell she just couldn’t figure out.

To herself Kara thought, and why do I feel this connection to you. Aloud she said, “Why? Do you not want friends?”

Lena’s jaw flexed as she looked at a set of symbols etched in the bathroom wall, “You obviously misunderstood because I went with you to the stables. But I only took you there to make sure you remained calm and didn’t have an adverse reaction to the potion since you were erasing so much time. But there were no feelings involved in the interaction, just business.”

Kara frowned as she watched Lena start to gather herbs and vials into a leather messenger bag. She couldn’t tell if the girl was telling the truth or if she was just pushing away Kara for her own protection.

In her hurry she ended up dropping a straw doll. She didn’t notice as Kara bent to pick it up, holding it out to Lena as she said, “It didn’t feel like a business deal. And I don’t think you really want to be alone. You just do it to keep yourself from being hurt. But like you said, we don’t live in a vacuum. That also means no man is an island. We all need people in our lives.”

Lena took the doll from her, stuffing it into her bag without looking into Kara’s eyes. “Not me. They always end up hurting me.”

She said the last part so softly Kara was sure she hadn’t meant for her to hear it. But Kara had as she felt her mouth turn down in a frown.

“If you really felt that way you wouldn’t be doing all this,” she motioned to the room with all its vials and ingredients, “you wouldn’t be reaching out to help people if you felt forming connections wasn’t worth it. If that was the way you really felt why would you keep doing this?”

Lena didn’t have an answer as she turned away, her jaw flexing.

“I think it’s because you care. You do care and you want to form connections but you are afraid. I get it.” Her eyes dropped to her hands as she pulled at her thumb, “Moving to this new school hasn’t been easy. Even back at my old school I didn’t have many friends. Most of the friends I had in middle school grew out of the whole horse thing when we started high school. You can guess how I got treated by those friends when they realized I hadn’t moved on.”

Reaching up she tucked back a lose strand behind her ear, “But I didn’t let that change me. People change, I get that, and they weren’t into horses but I still was. Why was that so bad? Why did I have to give up something I still loved if they didn’t like it anymore? When they got into jelly lip gloss and wearing matching outfits of flouncy skirts and crop tops I joined in, even though it wasn’t my thing. Because they were still my friends and I still liked them at their base core. But they couldn’t return the favor.” Her eyes lifted as she gazed into Lena’s mesmerizing green eyes, “Even though I was hurt by them that hasn’t stopped me from reaching out to new people. It hasn’t made me want to give up and I know you aren’t done reaching out either.”

Lena didn’t look at her, instead she grabbed another doll off the shelf as she shoved into the bag.

Kara found her curiosity taking over in spite of the tense situation as she inquired, “What does that doll do?”

“It’s a guilt doll.”

She recalled what the girls had said earlier, “The one that drives people insane with guilt.”

Lena snorted, “You heard that story? No, it doesn’t drive people insane. It just reminds them of something they did in the past they should feel guilty for. It’s their decision how they react to that guilt.”

There was a voodoo doll on the shelf, she recognized it by all the needles poking out of it. Feeling like Sleeping Beauty she felt the urge to touch the needles as her hand drifted towards them. As the needle pricked her finger she took in a sharp intake of breath as Lena did the same. She sucked on the wound before saying, “People who care about others don’t want to be alone. They want people in their lives. People who will care for them as much as they care for othters.”

Lena let out an annoyed breath through her nose, “Listen, if you want your memories back there’s nothing I can do. The potion erases them all. There is no recovering them. You can’t just experience a moment from the past and have everything rush back to you. They’re gone forever.”

Kara’s frown was confused till she realized what Lena meant, “I didn’t come here to get my memories back. I came here to make a friend.”

Lena frowned as she looked down at Kara’s offered hand. Lifting her gaze she fixed Kara with a cold stare, “Then look somewhere else.”


	8. Chapter 8

The sharp crash of bowling balls hitting pins filled the air as Kara and her group of friends stepped into the bowling alley. After getting their shoes they headed to their lane as Heather started inputting their names into the computer.

‘What do you want your name to be, Sarah?”

“Sar-Bear, duh?”

Heather turned her head to look back at Kara, “What about you?”

“Kara’s fine.”

“Boo,” went Laney, “You have to pick something.”

“Um, okay. Uh. My sister sometimes calls me Supergirl.”

Heather stuck out her tongue playfully, “Conceited much, but okay.”

As she continued entering the names, Kara let Laney know she was going to use the restroom.

“Do you want me to come with?”

“No, I’m fine.”

On her way out of the bathroom she was again confronted by the dark haired boy, Jake Chadwick. She frowned, staying back as she recalled the feeling of his tight grip on her arm.

“What do you want?”

He let out a tired sigh as he rubbed at the back of his head, “I just wanted to apologize for the way I acted the other day. I—I guess I was upset when I realized that you’d forgotten about me. I see now that what we had was special and it hurts to think you don’t remember any of that.” He looked sad as he peered up at her through his curtain of lashes, “I know I hurt you when I said that I wasn’t willing to break up with Valerie to be with you and that it’s the reason you took that potion. But seeing how much it hurt you and how you forgot all that we had together makes me realize how much I care for you. It hurt so much to think you forgot everything we had. The memories we had together. I wish I could go back and tell you that I choose you instead of Valerie, but I guess if you don’t have those memories, don’t have those feelings for me, it doesn’t matter. Unless...”

His gaze was hopeful and he sounded sincerely hurt by the thought of having lost her. Maybe she had been too hasty. Alex had said some really nice stuff about him when she‘d asked about the summer guy.

Should she give him a second chance?

As if sensing that she was considering giving in, he took a hold of her hands, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand, “I really want a second chance to do things over. To make things right with you.”

She felt him leaning in and didn’t stop it as he pressed his lips to hers. As soon as their lips touched she remembered, “This is Valerie’s boyfriend.”

She pushed him away, shaking her head as she said, ‘I can’t do this. I don’t care what we might have had. You are dating Valerie and she is my friend. I’m not going to do this to her.”

She turned, hurrying away before he could say anything more to confuse her.


	9. Chapter 9

Jake frowned as he watched Kara hurry away. He had almost had her and then—why was this witch always causing him so much trouble? Sure, he didn’t actually want Kara, but it hurt his pride to think she could so easily forget him.

Turning, he saw Valerie staring after Kara as she told the group of friends she had to go before leaving the bowling alley completely.

His girlfriend’s eyes came back to Jake, pain filling her eyes. He went over, touching her arms as he said, “Babe, it’s not what you think.”

She pulled away. He gripped his hands tightly over the space her arms had once occupied. Taking in a calming breath before saying “She came onto me. Listen, she’s crazy, okay. I told her I was your boyfriend and she said she didn’t care.”

Valerie frowned, looking as if she was trying to fit his story in with the scene she had just witnessed. A scene Jake even knew had to have looked completely different. But Valerie had never let him down before in believing his stories no matter how wild.

As she waffled he stepped in again, running his hands over her arms, “Babe, you know I would never do anything to hurt you. I love you. You’re my whole world.”

Her body shook as she let out a shaky breath, “Jake, I--.”

“Babe, this Kara girl is nothing but trouble. Listen, I didn’t want to say anything, but you know that girl I told you about, the one I met over summer break?”

“The crazy one that stalked you the whole time.”

“Yeah. That was her.” his eyes drifted in the direction Kara had gone before coming back to Valerie, “I was hoping she had let it all go, but it seems she’s still just as obsessed. Listen, I don’t want her to ruin things between us. Can you promise me you won’t let her ruin things between us?”

He could be so charming when he wanted to be. Valerie felt herself relaxing into his soothing tone.

“Okay, Jake, I believe you.”

He smiled, “Good.”


	10. Chapter 10

Kara smiled as she petted Krypton’s forehead. “You’re a good boy.”

She let her fingers linger on his fur for a moment as she started to walk way. Once her hand was completely away from him she reached up to her helmet as she started to undo the buckle at her chin. Removing it she shook out her hair as behind her she heard a sound.

Turning, she just saw Jake’s angry face before his hands slammed on either side of her, pinning her back against a stall as he glared own at her.

“What do you think you are doing?”

Behind him a spider slid down from its web, hanging there as it turned itself to look down at the pair. Across town Lena’s eyes fluttered beneath her eyelids as she watched the whole scene unfold.

Kara stuttered for an answer, but Jake hadn’t really come to hear it as he got right in her face.

Lena’s jaw flexed as she felt her hands clench into fists at her side. She could feel Kara’s fear building in her chest as she turned her eyes away from the hard look on Jake’s face. Ducking under his arm she tried to get away but he was quicker as he grabbed her arm, pulling her back to face him.

“You really think you can just forget me. Me?!”

She tried to pull away, gritting her teeth as she ordered him to, “Let me go.”

He did let her go, pulling his hand back before slamming it forward into her face as he knocked her to the ground.

Lena winced, flexing her aching jaw to the side as her eyes squeezed with anger and pain.

Kara lingered on the ground, tears stinging her eyes as she felt the gravel floor dig into the skin on her hands. Turning back she found Jake still towering above her as she started to back away. Again she found herself pinned between him and the stable.

“I was going to give you a second chance, but you know what, you’re not even worth it.”

The look on his face told Lena exactly what was going to happen next as a sharp pain in her ribs brought her completely out of the spell.

Gripping her side she doubled over as another sharp pain pierced her other side.

Digging her nails into her aching sides she took in a sharp breath of air before lifting her eyes as they glowed white. “I will show you what true fear feels like.” 


	11. Chapter 11

Jake Chadwick let out a frustrated sigh as he lay in bed. The lights were still on as he spent some time before tucking in to scroll through his phone. That night the images of scantily clad women were not doing it for him. All he could think of was Kara and the way she had pushed him away, the way she had forgotten him. Him! Jake Chadwick, whose family owned half of the town. Whose family’s name was the town. All his life, anything and everything he’d ever wanted had been his. Everything went according to his and his families wishes. No one ever stood up to him and no one ever denied him what he wanted.

He slammed his fist down on the mattress.

How dare she not give him what he wanted?

They were nothing unless he desired them to be something. And when he was done with them then they were nothing again.

Kara had been that. Another play thing to distract him while he was away from Valerie. But then she had followed him home and that had been annoying. More annoying was that she had forgotten him. He couldn’t allow that and so he had hoped to reignite her memoires. But the stupid meddling witch’s potion seemed to have completely erased him from Kara’s mind and body.

He gripped the sheets of his bed tightly in his fist. It wasn’t right. No one could deny him. Especially not women. They all wanted him. All needed him. They couldn’t bear to be without him—and yet Kara was getting along just fine.

He hated it. He wanted her to pay for forgetting him. For rejecting him.

A dark chuckle issued from his chest. It had been pretty sweet seeing the fear in her eyes when he’d confronted her at the stables. Her precious stables. Her sanctuary. Hearing her cries of pain were enjoyable, but better would be seeing her give into him again. To have her admit her feelings for him.

She would. Eventually. He was not someone to be denied. He would have her again. And then he would dump her. Just like he did all his play things.

Letting out a satisfied sigh he turned to turn off the lights of his room. That’s when something caught his eye. Something moving in the shadows of his closet but when he looked it was gone. Deciding he was just seeing things he set his phone down on the bedside table and turned off the lights.

Just as he was starting to drift off he heard a sound like skittering feet. He sat up, looking around his room. Again he saw nothing.

“Is someone there?”

He felt something on his wrist, looking down to see dark tendrils wrapping around his arms as they were suddenly pulled back against the bed’s backboard.

“What is happening?”

He struggled against the shadows, but they only held tighter as he was completely held against the backboard.

“What’s going on?”

A shape separated from the shadows in his closet, taking the form of a female figure dressed in all black with a veil over her face.

“We’re not play things, Jake. We’re not objects made for your pleasure and whims. We are individuals with feeling and thoughts and desires. It is not your place to manipulate those things for yourself. To tell us how to feel and act as if you control us like puppets you can play with for a bit and then set aside when you get tired of us. And we are not your possessions that you can get angry at when someone else shows interest us.”

The woman drew closer so that through her veil he could see eyes glowing red. Not just two irises but multi-irises glared at him, “You think you can do whatever you want and there will be no consequences? Someone’s always watching, Jake. And not everyone will be complacent and just let you continue to do whatever you want.”

The woman held her hand out flat as a shadow slithered on her palm, solidifying into an obsidian knife. He drew back as she crawled up on the bed. Pinning his legs down as she moved in close to press the blade against his throat.

“How do you like being the weak one? The one filled with fear as someone stronger than you abuses their power.” The shadow ran their cold finger down the length of his cheek, “You’re so pretty. You should feel grateful to have caught my attention.”

The blade came away from his throat as the woman reached up to pull back her veil. There where her face should be was a thousand spiders all crawling in a mass.

“Give us a kiss.”

As she leaned in Jake let out a horrified scream.

The scream continued as he came awake, gripping his blankets tightly as his eyes hurried back and forth across the room.

She was gone having left no trace. It was just a dream.

His heart pounding in his chest objected to this theory as he wiped the sweat from his face.

It was nothing more than a dream. A nightmare.

A warning, he realized as he looked down and saw the rope burns on his arms. It hadn’t just been a dream, but an omen.

“The witch.”

His fear turned to anger as he slammed his fist down on the bed.

No one told Jake Chadwick what he could and could not do.

She couldn’t be working alone; she only ever did spells for money. Someone had hired her to scare him. He was going to find out who it was and he was going to make them pay.

No one messed with Jake Chadwick and lived.


	12. Chapter 12

Kara was surprised when she opened her front door and found Lena on the other side.

“Lena,” she couldn’t even hide her surprise as she said the girl’s name. She winced with regret as she tried to hide just how surprised she’d been as she put on a welcoming smile, “Uh, what are you doing here? Did, um, do I still owe you for--.”

“I thought you wanted to be friends. Do friends not come over for dinner?”

“Oh uh, yeah, but they usually ask first,” Lena started leave. Kara grabbed her arm, “No, it’s okay. Stay. Please. I’m inviting you.”

She managed to pull Lena completely inside. The girl looked trapped once she was in the foyer, unsure if she should try to leave again or head further inside. She chose the latter as Kara director her to follow her as she led her back to the living room.

Alex was sitting on the couch reading a book. She looked up as Kara entered, smiling when she saw Lena.

“Oh, am I finally going to meet one of Kara’s friends?”

Kara smiled shyly as she motioned back to Lena, “This is Lena Luthor.” She paused unsure if she should introduce her as the witch. She decided against it as she introduced her sister.

Lena nodded in greeting. The three talked for a time as Alex noted, “How do you both have the exact same bruise in the exact same spot?”

Kara frowned. It wasn’t till her sister mentioned it that she noticed the bruise on Lena’s jaw. It was in the same spot and the exact same size and shape as on the one her jaw.

How had that happened? Had Jake also…?

Her throat tightened at the memory.

“Did you also have an accident at the stables?” asked Alex.

Lena frowned, looking over at Kara as if she knew the story was false. As if she knew exactly what had happened.

Kara nervously rubbed her hands on the side of her jeans, wondering what she could say to change the subject. Her mother saved her from coming up with anything as she called them all to dinner.

In the dining hall, Kara’s mother focused her interest on Lena as she asked her various questions about herself, “What’s your favorite subject in school?”

“Chemistry, I guess.”

“Have you decided what you want to go to school for?”

“I’m not going to college. I’m already doing what I want.”

Kara could see her mother’s smile was strained with confusion as she asked, “Oh, what’s that?”

“I’m a witch.”

Her mother’s brain almost completely shut down as she said, “Oh, Wiccan. You want to open a crystals shop?”

“No. I’m an actual witch. I cast spells and make potions that alter people’s perception of things.”

Kara stood up, taking everyone’s focus as she declared, “I’m done eating. Do you want to see my room, Lena?”

She grabbed the girl’s arm before she could answer, pulling her out of the dining room and off to the upstairs with her bedroom.

As one would expect, Kara’s room was covered in horse paraphernalia, posters, trophies, figurines. There were a few male band posters but for the most part the room was decorated with horses.

Kara watched as Lena’s eyes slowly moved round the room, taking it all in.

Having someone else in her room she felt embarrassed by just how much horse stuff she had.

“What does you room look like? Does it have spell books and shelves full of toad eyes and lizard tails?”

Lena shook her head slowly as she turned around to take in the other wall of Kara’s room. She walked over, touching her finger to the wall as Kara watched a spider crawl away from her, hiding itself behind one of her horse posters. She shuddered.

“No, my room actually looks pretty much like this.” She pointed to a poster on the wall, “I have that exact horse poster.”

Kara laughed, “That’s a joke. There’s no way your room looks like this.”

Lena smiled softly, “You’re right. I’ll have to show it to you some time.”

For a reason she couldn’t explain Kara felt her face heat at the idea of being in Lena’s room.

What would they even do there?

She shook her head before any thought could form. “Did you want to listen to music?”

Lena shrugged as she took a seat on the bed. She did it so casually like she just sat on people’s beds without any thought about what happened in them.

What was Kara thinking? Why was she being so ridiculous? What was she thinking happened in beds, other than sleeping?

“Sleep over. We should totally have a sleep over.”

Lena’s eyebrow lifted curiously, “On a school night?”

“Oh uh, right.” Her shoulders dropped.

“My parents wouldn’t care,” Lena looked up at the ceiling. A spider was crawling there. Kara shuddered again. “It’s really up to your mom.”

“She won’t care. I’ll ask her.”

Kara hurried off to do just that, feeling less nervous once she was out of her room and the image of Lena sitting so calmly on her bed.

Her mom agreed, putting her in high spirits so that she was too distracted to notice how Lena was laid out on her bed when she returned, her head propped up on her hand.

“My mom said yes.”

Lena’s lip curled in a smile, “That’s great.”

“So uh, what do you want to do first?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never had a sleep over before.”

“Oh, uh, well,” Kara pressed her lips together as she thought over the various things she’d done at past sleepovers. “Dance party. We could have a dance party.”

Lena didn’t object so she went over to her mp3 player she had hooked into a speaker. Scrolling through her various playlists she found her “Kara’s super awesome dance mix” she pressed play and started to bob along to the beat. As she swayed along to the melody Lena sat up, sitting cross legged as she watched Kara curiously. Smiling, the blond motioned with her hands for Lena to join her as the beat picked up.

“Come on.”

Lena shook her head, but Kara grabbed a hold of her hands, pulling her out onto the dance floor as she kept a hold of her hands while pulling her arms back and forth. Lena let out a soft chuckle, joining Kara as together they started to belt out the lyrics, “Don’t tell me what to say. And don’t tell me what to do. So just let me be myself, that’s all I ask of you.”

Kara let go of Lena’s hands as she started to move her arms, holding them out wide before bringing them into her chest as she belted out the words, “I’m young and I love to be young. I’m free and I love to be free. To live my life the way I want. To say and do whatever I please.”

The two girls started to laugh as they danced together for another song. Eventually a slow song came up. Kara looked at her Mp3, confused at why a slow song would be on her super dance mix. Before she could check the player Lena grabbed her hand, tugging at her as she gave her a soft smile.

Her smile was inviting, asking her to come in closer. She felt herself step into the girl as she put her hands on Lena’s shoulders while Lena put hers around Kara’s waist. Her stomach tingled with the touch and her proximity to the girl.

Had she felt this way with Jake?

The memory of the boy brought a sour feeling to her stomach. She pushed the feeling away as she let herself get lost in the music. She got so lost she didn’t know when she rested her head on Lena’s shoulder. As soon as she realized what she’d done she lifted her head, finding Lena staring at her as she was then lost in something other than the music. Lost in the sea foam eyes and the beating of her heart.

Her heart fluttered as she noticed Lena leaning into her like the beginning of a kiss. She didn’t even consider puling away.

Before anything could happen the door to her room burst open as she pulled back just as Alex poked her head inside, “Hey, you two up for a movie?”

Kara took a breath to steady her nerves before she brightly answered, “I’m up. You, Lena?”

The girl’s mouth scrunched, but she nodded as Kara led the way out of the room. As they sat down on the couch together Kara felt her heart still beating in her chest as she contemplated what had almost happened. Was Lena going to kiss her? Did she want Lena to kiss her?

She felt something move next to her hand. Lena’s hand sat near hers on the cushion. The movement had been her pinky which tapped nervously on the fabric.

Her heart halted in her chest as she watched her own pinky close the space between their hands, touching Lena’s pinky. It immediately stopped moving as her eyes lifted to find the witch watching her. A small smile curled at the edge of her mouth. Kara felt herself smile as her heart started up again, actually being calmer than she expected as her pinky curled over Lena’s in a mini hand holding.

Kara calmed completely as she turned her gaze back to the TV, relaxing into her breath as she smiled to herself, all other concerns lost in the happiness of the moment.


	13. Chapter 13

Lena actually joined Kara and the girls for lunch the next day. She had expected things to be a little tense at first but the girls accepted Lena right away as if she had always been part of the group.

They were as curious about Lena and her spells as Kara had been as they asked her about the extent of her abilities.

“Could you make someone do anything you wanted?” inquired Heather.

Kara looked over at Valerie who was being especially quiet that day, head down, eyes fixed on a chip in the tabletop.

“My magic doesn’t make people do things they wouldn’t normally do. Sure, it can lesson inhibitions, like alcohol, but even then you don’t act out of character. I can just enhance things in you that are there. Things you might usually have better control over, like a temper, or a flirtatious nature. But I can’t put something in that isn’t already there. I cannot change the base coding of a person.”

Kara watched as Valeria stood her jaw tight.

“Is everything okay?”

Her jaw flexed, but she managed a smile before heading off with a tense look on her face. Kara debated following her but ended up staying behind as she heard Lena start into a discourse on how she made her potions.

____

Valerie couldn’t believe the nerve of Kara Danvers. Coming to her table and eating with her, acting as if she hadn’t kissed her boyfriend. Acting as if she hadn’t tried to steal him. Acting like they were friends.

She let out a disgusted snort.

Then she felt a hand grab her arm, roughly pulling her to the side as she was slammed against a wall.

“You think you can sick your witch on me and there won’t be consequences?”

Valerie winced as she looked into Jake’s flashing eyes, “Jake, stop you are hurting me. Stop. I don’t know what you are talking about.”

He pushed her against the wall harder, “The witch. You sent her after me in my dreams.”

She shook her head, “No. No, I didn’t. The only thing I ever got from the witch was a potion to forget, but--,” she cried out as his grip on her arm grew tighter. She spoke quicker, “But I would never make her attack you. I love you too much. Jake. You have to believe me.”

He glared at her for a long moment as she felt her arm go numb with how tight he was holding it. Finally he let go as she rubbed her arm back to life.

“I believe you. But if it wasn’t you.” He gritted his teeth as he held his hands on his hips and thought.

“Kara and the witch have been especially close lately,” she mumbled it under her breath but he heard as he turned to fix his eyes on her.

“What was that?”

She felt her breath shake as she stammered for a moment before regaining control of her voice, “Kara and the witch are friends. You said she was upset when you didn’t return her feelings. Maybe she hired the witch to make you pay for that.”

His jaw tightened as he glared off down the hall as if he could see Kara through the wall.

“I see.”

To himself he thought, “First she forgets me and then she sicks her witch girlfriend on me.”

Valerie called after him, begging him to stay but he kept walking.

His friends looked up from their places at the lunch table, greeting him with smiles till they noticed the hard look in his eyes.

“Hey, what’s up, Jake?”

A sneer curled the edges of his lips as he said, “Guys, I think it’s time we threw one of our revenge parties.”

The others took on similar sneers as they exchanged looks like hungry wolves.

No one noticed the exchange, not even Lena who was too busy looking at Kara to notice the threatening air fill the school. 


	14. Chapter 14

Upstairs in Kara’s room, things were quiet between the pair as music filled the space between.

Kara finally broke the silence as she said, “The girls invited me to a party tomorrow night. Did you want to come?”

Lena played with a loose string on the bed spread. “I don’t know. I had some potions I needed to brew.”

“It’s not till later in the day. You could maybe do both.”

The string broke as Lena flicked it onto the carpet. “I’ll think about it. Just…” her eyes glanced up at Kara’s face before dropping back to the bed spread, “If Jake is there leave.”

Kara’s jaw flexed, no longer sore, but the memory still remained, “Yeah. Okay.”

Did Lena know what Jake had done to her? Were the rumors about her seeing all true?

She wanted to ask, but couldn’t bring herself to do so. For once her curiosity was not piqued. All she wanted was for Jake to forget her.

The music they were listening to changed mid-song. Kara only noticed because the song had been slow and melancholy and then it was up tempo and poppy. As she noted this Lena stood, holding out her hand to her in invitation to dance. A no was on her lips but instead of saying it she took her hand and got up.

Was this one of Lena’s spells?

Was she using magic on her?

She didn’t think too hard about it as she placed her hands on Lena’s shoulders while the witch’s hands slid onto Kara’s waist. Again she felt that tingling sensation run up the length of her spine as she felt her breath swell in her chest as she was lost for a moment in the witch’s eyes. Lena’s eyes.

Though the song was upbeat they danced together as if it was much slower, swaying in time to their own melody.

“Do you have a magic broom?” the question just popped out before she’d even had time to think about it.

Lena’s lips curled in an amused smile, “Why? Do you want to go flying?”

Kara’s lips pressed together as she tried to hide just how much she wanted that.

Lena laughed deeply.

“Sorry, I can’t fly. But I can do this.”

Lena held Kara tighter as it felt like her head was filling with helium. She didn’t know anything else was happening till Lena instructed her to look down. When she did she realized they were floating a foot off the ground. She wrapped her arms tighter around Lena’s neck as the other girl laughed softly.

“Here, put your feet on top of mine. It will be easier.”

Kara did, finding it did make things steadier for her. Once she was settled Lena stopped holding her as closely, something Kara found herself feeling disappointed by.

“Is this something you do with all your clients?”

Lena didn’t answer but her eyes twinkled mischievously. Just when Kara’s heart felt like it would burst with joy the two set down.

“Where did you learn magic?”

“My mom.”

“The one you want to forget?”

Lena shook her head, “No. My real mom. I’m not adopted, jut not fully related to everyone in my family. After my mom passed my dad took me to live with my half-brother and step mom. Before that my mom taught me how to brew potions and cast spells. We used to dance like this,” she looked down at their feet which had been hovering moments ago. “It was my favorite spell.” Her smile was soft in a way that made Kara’s heart thrill. “But magic can’t solve every problem. And it couldn’t save her when she got sick.”

Kara’s heart ached as she took Lena’s hand and squeezed it.

A thankful smile. “She didn’t have time to teach me everything, but I kept her books and taught myself the things she couldn’t.”

“Like how to turn boys into frogs.”

Lena chuckled, “I can’t change people’s base code, remember? And if their base code is already frog…”

They laughed softly, both too preoccupied with their own pains to fully get into the humor of it.

The song went back to a melancholy tune, but the two continued to sway together as if letting go would send them both spiraling off into the night.


	15. Chapter 15

The night of the party Lena was at the school in her potion’s lab. Or what the faculty called the east hall bathroom. She was brewing up more Forget-Me-Now potions; they had become more in want after a recent cheerleader’s slumber party. She was sure the girls would rather the objects of their affection forget the night but one couldn’t make someone forget something they didn’t want to. If that were the case she would have forced the potion down Jake’s throat and made him forget he’d ever met Kara. Too bad magic didn’t work that way.

Her phone buzzed as she checked it, finding a text from Kara. “Just arrived at the party. Going to see you any time soon?”

She smiled as she started to text back. The door of the bathroom opened before she could press send as she looked out to find Valerie standing nervously pulling at the edge of her shirt.

“Can I help you?”

“I—I,” she looked down, rubbing at her arms as she stammered, “I need another potion.”

Lena frowned, knowing exactly what she might want to forget.

“Come here, let’s talk,” she erased her text, putting in a message about how she would be there shortly before pressing send.

Valerie didn’t need to forget, she just needed to forgive. Herself. For putting up with Jake for so long and for letting him walk all over her.

Lena listened as the female unburdened her heart. It had been ten minutes when Lena started to feel a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. The kind of feeling you got when something terribly, terribly wrong was about to happen.

She stood, feeling her whole body sway as a wave of dizziness hit her. She slammed her hand against the wall, just catching herself before she tipped completely over.

Through a haze she heard Valerie’s voice inquiring if she was okay. Her breath was coming out quick like she was having a panic attack but she didn’t know what could be bothering her.

Then she felt it, a sharp pain that traveled up through her body straight into her heart. It was then she knew what was happening. What was wrong.

“Kara.”


	16. Chapter 16

The next month was filled with evidence gathering and testimonies in the case of Danvers V. Chadwick. Though Kara’s attorney insisted that hers was the true version of events, Chadwick’s lacrosse team corroborated his story.

“He’s been telling us for weeks about this crazy girl who followed him across the country.”

“I found her kissing him when we went out to the bowling alley. She claimed to be my friend, but it was all a ploy to get close to Jake so she could wheedle herself back into his life.”

“I told her several times to leave me alone, that I was back with my girlfriend. But she kept coming at me. I guess this is her way of getting revenge, by making up these horrible lies about me.”

By the end of the month the judge decided there was insufficient evidence for the case to continue, “If you wish to countersue for slander, Mr. Chadwick, you may do so.”

The older Chadwick smiled tersely as he replied, “No, your honor, I think we’ve all been through enough,” he gave Mrs. Danvers a meaningful sneer.

Two weeks after that Alex looked up the stairs her sister had not come down in all that time. Hadn’t even left her room.

“We should just move,” Alex looked back at her mother, frowning at the words as the older woman continued, “it might be easier if we leave.”

Alex moved away from the stairs, going into the living room where her mother sat with her head down, clutched in her hands.

“”If we leave they win.”

The woman lifted her head, fixing her daughter with a look like: don’t you realize?

“Alex, they’ve already won. They threw out the evidence. Threw out her testimony. It’s over. It’s done. And the things they are saying about,” her voice was tight as she pushed through, “the lies they are telling about your sister—I don’t want her to have to stay here and put up with that.”

Alex’s fists clenched as she looked away.

“They are saying such terrible things and she has already been through so much. I don’t want her to have to go through more.”

The girl gritted her teeth as anger burned in her chest as she thought about all the testimonies that had been given against her sister. All the lies that had been told. “I know, but it’s not right what they did to her. What they are doing to her now. They need to pay. They all need to pay.”

Her mother stood, coming over as she rubbed the sides of her arms, “I know, Alex, but there’s nothing we can do. It’s over and done with. We just have to learn to find some way to move on and heal. To get past this.”

Alex pushed off her mother’s hands as she took a step back, “I can’t get past this right now. I can’t.”

Her mother tried again to reach for her daughter, “Alex, please.”

Alex pushed away her hands, “I can’t right now.”

Moving past her mother she headed to the front door which slammed behind her as she left. Once she was gone her mother’s face returned to her hands as she started to cry.

On the nearby mantle a spider watched the whole scene. Upstairs in a dark room another spider hanging from the ceiling stared down at a form buried in blankets. The mass hadn’t moved in a while but did enough to let those watching know it was still alive. The only sounds heard from the mass were occasion sobs which soon went silent.

From her place across town, Lena’s jaw clenched.

Alex was right. This wasn’t right. Justice had failed. The law had failed. The courts had failed. The only thing left was for someone to take things into their own hands. To make things right.


	17. Chapter 17

Valerie was in her room trying to study. Trying and failing. It was hard to concentrate when guilt was eating you up inside like acid burning a hole from your insides out. Every time she closed her eyes she could still see Kara’s face. The look of pain in her eyes as she listened to the things people were saying about her. Listened to the things Valerie said about her.

She wasn’t even sure why she had done it.

Jealousy. Of course.

Insecurity. For sure.

When Jake asked her to back him up against the girl she had. Even though she felt like what she was doing wasn’t right. Even though she felt like his puppet. She could have said no. Could have said something else.

Why hadn’t she?

When was she ever going to do what she wanted and stop listening to Jake?

Jake.

She was reminded of him as she removed her eye makeup, revealing the colorful bruise underneath. A gift from the boy that claimed to love her.

The girl could feel a stress headache coming on aa she pressed her thumbs into her temples.

“I have a potion for that.”

Valerie startled as she turned back to see Lena standing in her room. She stood, backing into her desk as she felt her heart pound with fear.

“What are—what do you want? Have you come to curse me?”

“I am perfectly capable of cursing you without you even knowing it. But no—I have come to give you a chance.”

The blonde’s jaw flexed with a mixture of emotion. Hope. Fear. Anger. Regret.

“A chance to do the right thing. I want to know everything Jake told you about that night. Everything you suspect about that night. I want to know everyone involved in what happened to Kara”

It was hard at first for her to admit it all her feelings and insecurities, but Lena was gentle and kind. She did not yell or hit her in order to get what she wanted. Just gave her gentle look and the soft plea of, “Help me.”

Once she opened up about one thing it made it easier to go into the next and then the next and before she knew it she was opening up about everything. About her insecurities that had taken over after she’d seen Jake and Kara kissing at the bowling alley.

She had been angry when she’d seen it. Had let her insecurities about her relationship and herself get the better of her and blamed Kara instead of putting the blame where it actually belonged. With herself. She was the one that let herself believe Jake’s lies about Kara being a crazy stalker. She was the one that had blamed the girl instead of the guy who had made the decision to cheat on her.

She took all her fears and frustrations out on Kara because it was than blaming Jake, who she wanted to make excuses for so she could keep caring about him. Even though he didn’t deserve her attention.

Valerie started to sob, “I’m so sorry. I really didn’t know what he was going to do to her. He told me he was just going to talk to her, to convince her to leave him alone. I didn’t know he was going to do that,” her throat stung with the feeling of bile rising.

“If I had known, if I had known,” she choked on a sob, “I’m so sorry,” sniff,” I’m a terrible person. Even if I had known I might have still done it.” Her head dropped as she ugly cried, “I don’t want to be this person. I don’t want to keep putting up with him. Keep condoning his actions. I didn’t want Kara to get hurt. She’s such a good girl, unlike me. So nice. So sweet. I know I haven’t been the best to her, but I never in a million years would have wished this on her. I wish I could go back and fix this.”

She cried into her hands, sobs shaking her whole body.

A gentle hand touched her shoulder as a soft voice reminded her, “You can’t change things but you can help me fix them. Names, Valerie. Give me names.”


	18. Chapter 18

A spider crawled across the ceiling of the boy’s locker room, dropping down to the top of one of lockers as Jake and his group of friends gathered in front of it.

“She still hasn’t come back,” mused Byron with a sneer.

“I don’t think she ever will.”

“She’d be insane if she did.”

Kurt laughed to himself, “We all know she’s insane. Wouldn’t put it past her to stick around, just to be with her perfect Jake. Right.”

He looked over at his friend who was seated on the bench as he tied his shoes.

The boy didn’t react as on his other said, Jared declared, “Either way, if she stays or not, she got what she deserved.”

Jake sat up as he finished tying his shoes. He wore a sneer as he said, “Yeah, she got exactly what she deserves. And if she’d like more of it I’m more than happy to oblige.”

Him and his friends laughed grossly before Jake lifted his eyes to the locker where the spider rested. He stepped closer, glaring at the arachnid as he said, “Pests should always be dealt with.” His hand reached up, grabbing the spider as he crushed it in his hand.

Lena’s eyes opened as her jaw flexed, “My sentiments exactly.”

____

The wind on the roof of the school was crisp as Lena stared out at the surrounding town. Lifting her arms she let the wind blow over her as specks of ash started to fly off of her out into the air. The specks spun and twirled through the air, becoming spiders on strings as they floated closer to the ground where they landed on trees and buildings. Once there they started to make their webs.

A group of girls walked past a building where one of the spiders was making its home. Noticing this, one of the girls let out a disgusted “tch.”

“What is with all these spiders? I see enough of them at school, why do they have to infest the rest of town?”

The girls continued to discuss things they hated about school, moving onto other topics as they made their way down the downtown street. Above them more spiders got to work setting up their webs.

By night fall the town was covered in webs as if Halloween had come early. But all it really meant was that things were just getting started.


	19. Chapter 19

Through the halls of the school the sounds of the outside crowd could be heard as Chadwick high’s lacrosse team headed into their locker room. They looked tired, defeated as they sat down while their coach railed into them.

“What is u with you guys? You are playing terribly. You’re just doing everything wrong.”

One lacrosse player with his head in his hands let out a tired, “it’s like we’re cursed.”

The coach heard him as his frown deepened, “I know it seems like that with some of the team being out with injuries,” his eyes drifted to two of the boys, one with his leg in a brace, the other with his arm in a sling, “and having almost lost some of you with that court case. And now you all are playing like this is your first game. I know it’s a lot but you need to get your heads in the game.”

The man shook his head as he headed out of the locker room mumbling under his breath about curses and worst season ever.

As the other lacrosse players headed off to their lockers to clean up before the game resumed, Jake and his friends stayed seated on the benches.

“I dreamed about her again last night,” stated Jared in a haunted voice, “I’ve been having nightmares about her every night. I can’t get her voice out my head. She keeps begging me to tell the truth. To confess. Guys, I think we deserve to go to jail. We did something terrible.”

Byron punched his arm hard as he frowned, “What are you talking about? Don’t start chickening out on us now.”

Jared grimaced as he rubbed his arm, “But it’s every night. She’s standing in my room and begs me to do the right thing. To step up.”

Kurt grabbed the boy’s collar, pulling him close as he hissed, “Dude, just put it out of our mind. We have more important things to worry about. Don’t let this ruin your life. You have so much potential. We got away with this, just shove it down.”

Jared looked queasy as he weakly admitted, “I don’t know if I can.”

Jake grabbed him next, pulling him close as he glared into his eyes, ‘Even if you can’t do it keep your mouth shut for us. You might not care about your future, but we do. So shut your mouth and keep your guilt bottled up just like everybody else.”

The coach came back then, calling for the players to come outside. Jake held back his other friends as Jared, too out of it to notice, continued on without them.

“He’s going to be a problem,” stated Jake darkly as he watched his friend walk away.

“Aw, don’t worry about Jared, he’ll keep his mouth shut.”

Jake didn’t look to agree as his jaw tightened. “There’s only one way to be sure of that.” 


	20. Chapter 20

A few days later, Jared Trent was found face down in his pool having overdosed on pills. The cops ruled it a suicide, but rumors at the school said otherwise.

His girlfriend was the first to admit the whole thing was fishy, “He wouldn’t ever have overdosed on pills. He wouldn’t even take children’s Tylenol, that’s how much he hated them.”

This only led people to speculate on what would have caused him to act so out of character.

“The witch totally killed him because of Kara.”

“I heard he was having nightmares every night about her ghost and it just drove him mad so he killed himself.”

“How can her ghost have done that when she’s still alive?”

“Don’t questions me, Jessica.”

Everyone was sure the reason the witch had done it. For weeks after the trial had ended she had been causing problems for those involved. The first problem coming to the Lacrosse team captain. One night while driving his father’s sports car, he had seen a person dressed in white standing in the middle of the road. Swerving, he missed the thing but crashed the car into a tree, severely injuring his leg so that he was out for the rest of the season.

“His girlfriend came out of it without a scratch,” went the rumors, “Said she had some protective charm. But when the first responders were pulling her boyfriend out they found a different kind of charm wedged under the dashboard. The witch was totally trying to kill him.”

Then there was what had happened to Byron at a party a week after the trial had been thrown out.

“He got too drunk, like usual, and was doing his whole tight rope routine. Just before anyone could grab him a bolt of lightning came down out of a clear sky and struck right beside him. It didn’t hit him, but it startled him so much he lost his balance and fell off the roof, breaking his arm. The witch was totally trying to kill him.”

She’d finally succeeded with Jared Trent. And now that she had a taste for blood, the rumors said, she was going to finish off the rest of them.

Of course, not everyone blamed the witch. When the rumors about her involvement in Jared’s death reached Valerie she insisted the witch had nothing to do with it.

“She doesn’t kill people, only helps them. All she did was give him nightmares to convince him to come clean. She wouldn’t have killed him. She couldn’t have killed him.”

Her friend’s scrunched their faces in confusion as Heather asked, “Why are you standing up for her? She’s fighting for that home wrecker that tried to steal your man.”

This only made Valerie cry as she covered her face with her hands, “Oh, Kara. I’m so sorry.”

Because of the rumors and the “disruption” to school, the faculty stepped in and shut down Lena’s bathroom dispensary. After sealing it off the principal made a decree that, “any kind of witch craft will not be allowed at the school anymore.”

The Lena Luthor fan club decided they would not stand for this and so did a protest that ended with them getting suspended.

And where was Lena Luthor through all of this?

No one knew.

Even before her facilities at the school were shut down no one had seen the witch. It was like she had completely disappeared off the face of the earth. But rumors didn’t need to see the people they were talking about to thrive and so the mill continued to spin.


	21. Chapter 21

At night, Jake woke feeling as if someone was in his room. At the foot of his bed two figures hovered, a blonde girl dressed in white, and a boy with a thick upper body.

Kara and Jared.

Both of them stared at him with sad eyes as they pleaded in haunting tones for him to “do the right thing” “admit his sins” and “make things right.”

Jake woke up screaming, the figures gone from his room.

Letting out a feral scream he threw his pillow across the room. That wasn’t enough for him as he ripped his blankets off his bed, throwing them next. Then went his mattress as he flipped it off the frame. Under that he spotted a strange object. A doll. Grabbing it he ripped it in half, throwing the doll’s head against the wall.

“Oh, you bitch of a witch. You are going to pay for this.”

____

____

Jake had gathered his friends together.

“We need to stop this witch before she ruins the rest of our lives.”

His friends exchanged worried looks which made his anger burn hotter as Kurt replied, “I don’t think I want to mess with her. Not after what she did to Jared.”

“Dude, you know that wasn’t her. And she’s just a normal chick. Sure, she can mix up some cleaning solutions that make you see things that aren’t there,” he frowned as he recalled the ghosts in the night, “but she can’t actually hurt us. And we all know,” he glared at Kurt, “that she was not the one to get rid of Jared. It’s time we took care of her like we did him.”

“What about the cops?”

“Who’s going to care if we get rid of a crazy chick who claims she casts spells? You think they are going to mind if the girl causing all this commotion ends up dead in the woods?”

He looked at Byron as he reminded him, “You are going to inherit your dad’s law firm. Do you really want her messing that up for you?”

Then to Kurt, “And you really think Yale is going to want to let you in if she brings the truth to light?”

It was the same words he had used to convince them the night they had grabbed Jared, forcing the pills down his throat before throwing him into the pool. Like then he could see his friends eating up the excuse as a dark smirk came to his lips.

“If she thinks she’s a witch, then let’s treat her like one. Let’s burn her at the stake.”

“But how are we going to find her? No one has seen her since Jared’s death.”

Jake’s brow lowered as his expression darkened, “I know just where to start.”

____


	22. Chapter 22

Valerie let out a pained yelp as Jake slammed her against a wall, “Where is the witch? I know you know where she is?”

The girl cowered, keeping her face turned away as he glared down at him.

“I don’t know. Even if I did I wouldn’t tell you.”

She cried out as his fist came down hard on her body.

‘You stupid bitch.”

She was sobbing, but that only heightened his anger as his fists came down faster. Harder. But still she wouldn’t speak.

Letting out a growl he grabbed her hair at the back, pulling her head back so she was looking up at him. Her face was bruised and battered, but the look in her eyes was firm. She was not going to break. Not this time.

He brought back his fist, just about to bring it forward when something caught his eye. Turning his head he watched as a spider climbed down the wall. Dragging her over by her hair, he held her face up to the spider, “I know you’re watching, witch. You’re always watching, you nosy, bitch. If you want her to live, if you don’t want another death blamed on you, you better meet me at the Chadwick woods.”

Valerie let out a guttural scream as she begged, “No, don’t, Lena. I deserve this. Don’t--.”

“Shut up! If you don’t want me to do to her like I did to Jared,” his eyes narrowed, “or your precious Kara, meet me at the Chadwick woods by ten.”

Then he brought his first down, smashing the spider against the wall.

Valerie continued to sob as he left her behind.

Blood covered his fists but it wasn’t his own.

It was never his own. 


	23. Chapter 23

In the shadows of the room Lena watched Kara’s sleeping form. She only knew she was sleeping because she had placed the sleep doll in the girl’s room. A doll that made sure she would rest without any dreams. Without any nightmares. It was the only thing she could do to help with her pain.

But now someone else was in pain.

In trouble. All because of her.

No.

Not her.

She was not going to take the blame for this. This had been Jake’s choice to be a heartless dick. It was because of his choices that Kara had been hurt. Because of his choices that Valerie was in pain.

But it was her choice to stop him. To put an end to his reign of terror.

Leaning down she placed a kiss on Kara’s forehead taking on a soft smile as she whispered, “May your dreams from now on be nothing but sweet.”

The edge of her mouth twitched with regret as she stepped away.

There was no going back now. Her and Jake had both made their decisions and it was time to reap the consequences.

Kara came awake, breathing heavy as her eyes darted around the room.

“Lena.”

She had been sure she’d heard the girl’s voice. Felt her presence. Had it all been a dream?

She reached up, touching her forehead sure that Lena had touched her there. Why had it felt like she was saying goodbye.

Turning her head she looked out the window at the glowing moon, her heart aching with sympathy for the pain Lena must be feeling.

“Oh, Lena.”


	24. Chapter 24

Spider webs covered the trees, but no one was looking up. Everyone’s gaze was fixed on the tree line as they watched for the witch.

Up ahead they spotted her making her way through the line of trees. She was dressed in a white dress shirt that she worn untucked so that it covered her black shorty shorts. Knee high socks covered her legs and over the shirt she wore a shimmering black cape top.

Jake sneered, thinking she was taking on this witch persona a little too eagerly. But she would soon enough regret all that.

As she stepped into the mini clearing she did not look afraid, even when the three large lacrosse players surrounded her. She didn’t even fight them when they grabbed her, pulling her over to a pole they had set up with logs piled underneath.

“It’s over witch,” declared one of the boys as they started to tie her to the pole.

“Your reign of terror is over.”

Her expression remained impassive even as their faces bore looks of utter hatred.

Jake made sure her bonds were especially tight, smirking when she took in a sharp intake of breath. Coming around to her front he leered as he said, ‘I heard rumors that when a witch finds her soul mate she feels everything they do,” he let out a derisive laugh, “Do you think Kara is your soul mate? When it happened did you feel everything she felt? Did you feel me?” a cold smile, “does that mean I had a threesome?”

Behind him his friends joined in his laughter as he let out a dark chuckle, “That’s kind of sick and twisted, you experiencing everything she does. Does she even know, you freaking stalker?” He reached out, running his finger down her cheek as he inquired, “Does it go both ways? Does she feel it?”

Lena remained silent as he clenched his jaw.

“I guess just knowing you felt everything she did that night makes me feel better. But it’s not enough for me. Not after everything you’ve done. I want you to feel more. I want to actually see your face when you realize that I’ve won. More than that,” he stepped back, taking the torch offered to him, “I want to watch you burn.”

He kept his eyes fixed on her as he knelt down to light the wood around her. While he wore a cold grin her expression remained impassive, even as the flames rose higher and higher. Just when the flames started to lick at her skin, instead of crying out in pain she smiled, grinning at him with a look like you haven’t won.

Seeing this Jake started to scream with anger.

‘Dude, calm down,” advised his friends.

“She’s burning. Just enjoy the fact that she’s almost gone from our lives.”

But their friend’s screams only became louder as they realized they weren’t screams of anger but pain. Turning they watched the face of Lena in the fire shift as it became that of their friend. Now Jake was the one engulfed in flames, screaming as the fire ate at his flesh.

Seeing their friend was the one burning alive they started to scream in panic as Kurt hobbled back and forth looking for, “Water. We need water. Why didn’t we bring water?!”

Byron tried to get to Jake, but pulled back a foot from the flames, “It’s too hot.”

“What are we going to do,” Kurt had to yell to be heard over the pained cries of their friend. They couldn’t bring themselves to look at him anymore as they heard the fire pop.

“We have to get out of here.”

“But, Jake--.”

“He brought this on himself. There’s nothing we can do for him. I’m not going down for his.”

Kurt started to hobble away as Bryon threw one last look back at his friend before joining the retreat.

As his friends left him Jake let out a gut wrenching scream filled with anger and pain. Through the flames another shape stepped between them and the image of his friend’s fleeing forms.

The witch.

He screamed her name, anger in his voice as he ordered her to let him out. To release him.

“Did you let Kara go when she begged you? Did you stop when she asked? If you had shown her any mercy I would have done the same. But there was not one ounce of kindness then and there will be none now.”

Jake screamed as he watched Lena turn and walk off into the shadows. Lifting his head he screamed at the moon his cry carrying off into the night like a spider on the wind.


	25. Chapter 25

The next day the news reported on a burned body being found in Chadwick woods. Hours after that the police reported DNA confirmed the body belonged to Jake Chadwick.

A day later his friends were arrested in conjunction with the murder. Shortly after that they confessed to being involved in their friend’s death, along with being the real culprits behind Jared’s fake suicide. They even admitted to lying for Jake about what happened with Kara

After a week everything was tied up nicely as Kara’s name was vindicated and the Chadwick’s themselves were forced to leave town due to the rumors that they had helped their son pay off the ME who had processed the crime scene.

Though legally everything had worked out, on the personal front, time still had much to heal.

_____

“Are you sure you don’t want a Forget-Me-Now potion?” Heather gave her friend a concerned look as she touched her shoulder, “It would probably be good for you to forget him.”

Valerie shook her head, “No. I need to remember what he did. What I did so I never become that person again. So I never let myself fall for a person like that again.”

Her friend frowned but nodded in understanding as she squeezed her hand.

Both girls’ expressions turned to smiles as another girl approached.

“Kara.”

The blonde returned their smiles as they noted it was not as bright as it had been before all this, but it was getting there. Sitting down across from them she quietly inquired, “Have you finished Mrs. Selznick’s anatomy packet yet?”

Valerie let out a tired groan as her head dropped back, “Oh. My God. No. It’s like thirty pages. How does she expect us to finish all that when we have other classes with just as many assignments? I swear she’s secretly a government spy working on new kinds of torture.”

Kara smiled softly as her eyes dropped to the table. Near her trey a spider was crawling across the surface. She put her hand down, letting the spider climb up on her finger before lifting it to eye level

“Hey, you going to join us for lunch today?”

The spider stared back, clicking its pincers for a moment as if to say on my way.

She smiled, putting the spider back up on the wall where it would be safe. Heather shuddered as she sat down.

“I don’t know how you can stand having that thing crawl on you.”

Kara shrugged, “I didn’t like them at first, but I’ve gotten used to them. They are actually pretty cute once you get to know them.”

Heather shuddered again looking completely creeped out.

As Valerie rubbed her friend’s arm in comfort, Kara’s gaze drifted to the side. To the table Jake and his friends had once occupied. Now the Magic the Gathering group had taken their spot.

“Do you think things will ever go back to normal?”

Valerie’s shoulders dropped as she considered the question, “For me, I hope not. I don’t like the person I used to be.”

“They say you can never go home,” added Heather, “I guess that’s true. Either your home changes or you change. But things are always changing. Whether for good or for bad is up to us.”

“I agree.”

Kara dropped her head back as she looked up at Lena as she stood behind her. The girl touched her shoulder as she smiled down at her. Smiling back, Kara reached up to squeeze her hand. Leaning down, Lena Spiderman kissed her nose.

Keeping a hold of Kara’s hand she moved around to her side where she sat.

“What’s for lunch?” she leaned over to get a closer look at Kara’s plate. The blonde laughed lightly as she pushed her face away when it came within inches of her mashed potatoes. “I think you’ve been gazing through your spider’s eyes too much. You’re giving yourself eyes strain or something. Maybe you need glasses.”

Lena laughed lightly, “Do you think I’d look good with glasses?”

Kara took off her own, placing them on Lena as she smiled, “Bewitching.”

The girls all laughed as above them a group of spiders made a web in the lunch rooms rafters.

Outside the spiders in the town had gone inside so that only snow gathered in the O’s of the high school’s name.

While snow didn’t get rid of any of the flaws or cracks it covered it did remind one of spring and with it the promise of new beginnings. 

The End. 


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: I put this scene in near the end of rewrites and while I liked some of the sentiments it messed with much of the stories pacing and established dialogue. But I still wanted to share it so here is the deleted scene from right after Kara’s has imbibed the forget-me-now potion.

Kara started to head up the stairs to her room, pausing as she looked back at her sister.

“What did I—What did I tell you about this guy?”

Alex gave her a look like she thought she was being weird. Kara returned her look with an order of just humor me.

Her expression became thoughtful as she tapped her chin, “Let’s see. You said he was really cute. That he had dreamy eyes and gorgeous hair.”

Kara frowned, “That’s all? I only cared about his looks?”

Her sister shrugged, “You were the one in love with him.”

“But,” Kara came down the stairs, stopping in front of her sister, “I didn’t say anything about the time we spent together. About the things he did. How he treated me?”

“What do you want me to say? You were infatuated. He was all you ever talked about. You would meet him at night for secret rendezvous. When I found out you were sneaking out you had me cover for you.”

Kara didn’t know why, but she felt anger burning in her chest, “And you never met him?”

Her sister shook her head, “But you said he was really charming and would say the most romantic things to you. You were so infatuated you even forgot about Krypton. He was all you talked about, all you thought about. You were--.”

“Hormonal. Did I only feel or did I actually think things through with him? You know how much I love Krypton and you, and I never once had him meet you or my horse? Was I one of those girls who changed everything about myself in order to make him like me more? Who said I liked things I actually didn’t in order to keep his attention?”

Alex started to respond but Kara wasn’t actually asking for a response, “Did he “She’s all That” me? I wasn’t enough for him as is so I had to change to fit his wants and desires. I want to find someone who loves me as I am. Who doesn’t care that I’m a horse lover. Who thinks I’m pretty with or without glasses. Someone who, even if I change, will love the new me.”

Alex touched her arm, smiling sympathetically, “That sounds nice. If that guy wasn’t that for you, don’t settle for him.”

Kara smiled as she placed her hand over her sister’s, “I’m not going to.” Her smile softened as her eyes dropped to the ground as she found herself thinking about a set of warm sea foam green eyes and a kind smile.

**Author's Note:**

> The story continues in this collection of bonus stories: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25405231


End file.
